Dolly support for hogshead loader and compactor



Feb. 26, 1957 R. HEIZER, JR.. ETAL 2,782,711

DOLLY SUPPORT FOR HOGSHEAD LOADER AND COMPACTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 14, 1953 NW EI'VTORS. law Alana H E/25,69

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ATTORNEYS.

United 1 States Patent DOLLY SUPPORT FOR HOGSHEAD LOADER AND COMPACTOR Raymond Heizer, Jr., and Jacob Douglas Gay, Jr., Lexington, and Harry Guthrie Bell, Paris, Ky., assignors to Gay-Bell Corporation, Paris, Ky., a corporation of Kentucky r Application December 14, 1953, Serial No. 397,920

24 Claims; (Cl. 100-229) Our invention is directed to improved means for supporting a hogshead while it is filled with tobacco, and also for supporting the mechanism which actuates the compacting .means, such support means making extensive building reinforcing unnecessary.

It is customary, in the tobacco industry, to fill large hogsheads with tobacco by first adding a given increment and thenpressing it within the hogshead and then adding more of the tobacco with continued pressing. This alternate filling and packing is continued until the hogshead is completely full. In order to insure a sufi'icient quantity of tobacco in the hogshead it is common practice to place an extension on the top of the hogshead to permit piling of sufiicient'tobacco as to enable it to be packed within the hogshead to its very top.

Ordinarily the hogshead is placed on a dolly or platform which is supported from the building floor. The mechanismfor filling the hogshead with tobacco, and for packing it within the hogshead, is also supported from the floor and comprises a huge ram of some sort which may be reciprocated into and out of the hogshead.

Because of the size of the hogshead and because of the forces needed to pack the tobacco properly, the packing equipment is of such size and weight, and generates such a high packing pressure, that building floors must be heavily reinforced in order to accommodate the equipment. In addition, in many buildings it is necessary to provide more than the usual clearance within the room 1 where the packing mechanism is located. The provision of a reinforced floor to accommodate the packing mechanism and to withstand the forces generated thereby often calls for extensive and expensive remodeling.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of our invention to provide means for supporting the packing mechanism and the hogshea-dto be filled with tobacco, which supporting means may be employed with any fioor capable of withstanding the dead weight of the mechanism itself.

An important object of thisinvention is 'to provide a support structure in which the building floor is not used as a compression section.

It is'an object of our invention to provide support mean-s which itself tends to provide stability to the floor withwhich it is associated and to set up counteracting moments of force during the packing operation making further remodeling unnecessary.

A further object of our invention is to provide means associated with the basic support structure for raising a hogshead dolly ofi of its wheels and then supporting same during the packing operation.

These and other objects of our invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art during the course of the following description and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which drawings like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same and in which: p

Figure 1 is a section taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 2, and shows the cam mechanism in plan view as well as the relative position of the ram cylinders, I

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure l, and shows the manner in which the structure is fastened to a building floor as well as the cam actuating mechanism,

Figure 3 is a perspective View of a portion of the lift mechanism,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a part of the lift mechanism,

Figure 5 is an enlarged section taken on the line 55 of Figure 1,

Figure 6 is a view generally similar to that of Figure 5 but showing the mechanism in another position, and,

Figure 7 is a section taken on the line 77 of Figure 1 but showing the invention during operation.

In the practice of our invention we place the hogsheads to be filled with tobacco on dollies so that the hogsheads may be moved about the building easily. The dolly with its empty hogshead is moved beneath a large ram which may be hydraulically actuated, tobacco is placed within the hogshead and the ram actuated to compact the tobacco. During the packing operation, since the forces generated are so great, the dolly and hogshead are lifted so as to take the weight oif of the dolly wheels.

Referring to Figure 7 We have there more or less diagrammatically illustrated the essential portions of the ram and compacting means. We provide a pair of cylinders 20 in which piston members 21 are mounted for reciprocation. A cross beam is supported from the members 21 and this is indicated at 22. The ram 23 is fixed to this beam 22 in any suitable manner. A hogshead 24 is positioned on a dolly 25 having wheels 26. Ordinarily an extension will be placed on top of the hogshead, and the ram 23 will be of sufficient depth to pack the tobacco in the hogshead even though it must also reciprocate through this extension, but this has been omitted from the figures in order to cut down the size of the figures. At any rate the hogshead extension does not constitute a part of the instant invention.

As perhaps best seen in Figure 2, the primary support mechanism for the compacting means comprises a pair of H members one of which is placed on a floor and the other of which is placed immediately beneath the floor, the two H members being bolted together. In Figures 1 and 2 the upper H member is shown at 27 and the lower member at 28. The cylinders 20 rest on the upper member 27 and are bolted clear through the floor to the lower plate member 28, one on each of the legs of the H, at the juncture of the cross member with such legs. The tying of the cylinders 20 to the lower plate 28 may be accomplished by bolts 28a passing through the cylinder base 20a and the floor 29. It will be understood that lateral support for the cylinders 20 will ordinarily be provided and the support means used will also be bolted through the legs of the upper H member to the lower H member. In other words all support structure for maintaining the c'ylinders 20 in an upright position will be fastened directly through the upper H member to the lower H member.

In Figures 2 and 7 we have shown the floor 29 as being made of concrete and we have indicated the bolts or tie rods for securing the plates 27 and 28 together at 30. As shown there will be a plurality of these tie rods. The provision of the pair of H plates, one on either side of the floor 29, is very important. It is on the upper plate 27 that the support structure for the hogshead and for the packing means are mounted, but such upper plate is securely tied to the lower plate in the manner explained.

Welded to the cross beam 31 of the upper plate 27 is a rigid base plate 32 which has its rigidity insured by the L members 36 which extend across it. Although we have shown the plate 32 as welded to the beam 31 as indicated at 34, it will be obvious that other means may be employed for securing this plate to the cross beam of the upper H member.

As best seen in Figures 1 and 5 sleeves are supported on .the L members 36 which are bolted or otherwise se-' cured to the plate 32. These sleeve-s are securely fixed against rotation. A series of bolts 36a insures that the force passing down through the sleeves 35, as will be described, does not spread Ls 36 apart. Sleeves 36b placed about the bolts 36a prevent possible collapse of the members 36.

We provide a pair of shafts 37 each one of which is mounted within a pair of the sleeves 35. A pair of cams are keyed to each one of the shafts 37, one at either end thereof. As perhaps best seen in Figures 3 and 4 each of the shafts 37 has a stepped key 38 secured therein. Cams 39 are keyed on the shaft 37 by the stepped portion 33a of the key 38. An upstanding bearing plate 40 is bolted or otherwise secured to the plate 32 adjacent each end of the shafts 37. These bearing plates 40 serve as abutments against which the extended key members 38 will bear when the shafts 37 are rotated in a manner to be described. To this end it will be understood that the shafts 37 are rotatable within the fixed sleeves 35 and it will be further apparent that the earns 39 are securely fixed to the shafts 37 by means of the key 38 as to rotate with their respective shafts.

Fixed to and beneath the lower cross beam 41 is a small cylinder 42 having a piston 43 and a rod 44 having an extension 44a passing through the beam 41, the fioor 29 and the upper H beam 31. This cylinder and piston may be actuated by hydraulic means 43a and 43b. The rod extension 44a is fixed to a lever 45 and in these figures we have shown this connection as a threaded connection 46. A pin 47 is mounted in each end of the lever 45. These pins 47 are received within slots 48 provided in links 49 which are keyed to the shaft 37 as indicated at 50.

The normal position of the piston and cylinder 4342, andof the lever 45 and its links 49 is shown in Figure 2. In this position of the mechanism described the shafts 37 dispose their keys 38 vertically and out of contact with the bearing members 40.

Resting on the earns 39 is a support member 51 which is provided with suitable bearing strips 52 against which the earns 39 operate. The support member 51 has flanges or skirts 53 depending therefrom at its four sides. The member 32 has similar but upstanding members 54 having a telescopic engagement with the members 53.

This mechanism will maintain the support 51 in alignment while permitting it reciprocation as will be described.

The total distance from the support 32 to the top of the member 51 is such that a dolly 25 may be rolled thereover. To this end we provide ramps 55 to allow for the thickness of the upper H plate 27. Thus, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, a dolly may be rolled up the ramps 55 so that the upper support member 51 will be positioned directly beneath the center of such dolly and hogshead mounted thereon.

With the hogshead on the dolly, and the dolly brought into the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, the lift mechanism is actuated so as to bring the structures to the position of Figure 7. When pressure is admitted to the cylinder 42 the rod 44 is moved upwardly. Upward movement of the rod extension 44a and its lever 45 causes the links 49 to be rotated which, in turn, causes rotation of each of the shafts 37. This rotation of the shafts 37 brings the cams 39 to a vertical position as limited by the striking of the key 38 against the abutments 40. These cams bear against the member 52 fixed to the underside of the support 51 and are of sufficient length to raise the dolly wheels off the floor or ramp. When the cams are'brought to the position of Figure 7 the dolly 25 is supported directly on the upper plate 27 through the support 51, the earns 39, the shafts 37, the sleeves 35, the bearing members 36 and the plate 32, which plate is secured to the cross beam 31 of the upper plate 27 as described.

As best seen in Figure 6, in order to insure that no slippage occurs during actuation of the ram means, each of the cams 39 is provided with a flat 39a which is slightly offset with respect to the center line of the shafts 37, such offset fiat being towards the side at which the abutment 40 is located.

Between the cross beam 31 of the upper plate 27 and the cross beam 41 of the lower H plate 28, and passing through a suitable opening 60 provided in the floor 29, is a member 61. Forces imparted to the cross beam 31 of the upper H plate 27 are transferred to the cross beam 41 of the lower H plate 28 by means of this member 61. This lower cross beam 41 is provided with reinforcing flanges 62. It will be observed that the cylinder 42 is fixed to the underside of the beam 41 by means of a member 63 which bridges the reinforcing flanges 62.

When the mechanism is actuated so as to effect packing of the tobacco by means of the ram 23 there is produced a force working against the member 51, which force is transferred through the cams 39, the shafts 37, the sleeves 35, the bearing members 36, the plate 32, the beam 31 and the member 61 to the lower beam 41 of the lower H plate 28. Opposite forces, half in each of the cylinders 20, are set up and these also are transmitted to the lower H plate 28 through the bolts or tie rods 28a by means of which the bases 20a of the cylinders are secured through the floor 29 to the plate 28. This tends to produce a bending or deflection of the beam 41 and it is quite im portant, therefore, that such beam be of good strength and rigidly reinforced as shown.

We have found that by supporting the dolly and hogshead on the cross beam of the upper H plate 27, this plate being tied directly to the lower plate 28, and by locating the cylinders for the compacting mechanism on the legs of the H plate 27, we provide an arrangement in which the forces generated during the compacting action tend to offset one another. The member 61, which may be a section of large, strong pipe, transfers the forces from the dolly and upper H plate directly to the webbed cross beam 41 of the lower H plate rather than using the concrete floor as a compression section. Thus, if a floor is strong enough to support the dead weigh-t of the mechanism described, it will also be strong enough to permit the pressing of the tobacco in the hogshead. This is not true of prior arrangements known to us for effectively packing the tobacco within the hogshead 24 and, therefore, this feature constitutes an important part of our invention.

Although we have described the cylinder 42 as comprising hydraulic mechanisms, itwill be apparent that this is not a critical limitation and that any means for raising the lever 45 will be suitable. The weight of the dolly and hogshead is supported through the cylinder 42 only during the lifting operation. When the apparatus has reached the position of Figure 7, the support 51 and everything located thereon is supported on the cross beam 31 of the upper H plate member 27 as described. The cylinder 42 does not have to withstand the forces gerierated during the packing or pressing operation.

in the operation of our invention an operator will place a hogshead 24 on a dolly 25 and then roll this dolly up the ramp 55 so that the dolly is positioned over the support plate 51. The cylinder 42 and associated means is actuated to raise the lever 45 and thus rotate the shafts 37. Rotation of the shafts 37 in this manner will bring the earns 39 to the position of Figure 6 in which event the support 51 will have been raised sufiiciently to lift the dolly and hogshead from the wheel supports 26. Packing of the tobacco within the hogshead may then be accomplished by reciprocation of the ram 23 in the usual manner.

Prior to this actual operation, however, it will be'understood that the H plates 27 and 28 have been bolted to either side of the floor 29 in the manner indicated. The support structure 51 and the related mechanism will be means mounted on the plate 32 which is in turn fixed on the cross beam 31 of the upper plate member 27. In addition the cylinders 20 and their associated brace structure will be mounted on the legs of this upper H plate by bolts passing through the upper H plate to the lower H plate.

From the above it will be apparent that during actual compacting of the tobacco within the hogshead 24 all forces will be concentrated directly in the lower H plate. And since the downward pressure moment as occasioned by the movement of the ram 23 into the hogshead 24 works against the center area of the cross beam 31, and since the cylinders 20 which supply the motivation to the ram 23 are located to either side of this first mentioned pressure area, the resulting forces will tend to offset one another, through the webbed beam 41 of the lower H plate 28.

In this way We have provided support structure for the hogshead and the compacting means which may be mounted in any building having a floor sufiiciently strong to hold the dead weight of the total apparatus employed.

It will be apparent that modifications may be made in our invention without departing from the scope and spirit thereof. It will also be understood that while we have shown our invention as described in certain structure, this showing is exemplary only and we do not intend to be limited by the specific arrangement shown, and structures indicated, except insofar as these are particularly set forth in the sub-joined claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and what we desire to protect by United States Letters Patent is:

1. Support structure for a hogshead lift and compacting mechanism comprising: a pair of H-plates, each H- plate comprising a pair of parallel legs and a centrally located cross beam joining said legs, said H-plates being adapted to be disposed on the upper and lower sides of a building floor and secured together through said floor; a ram for packing tobacco within a hogshead; means to lift and support a hogshead; mechanism to reciprocate said ram into and out of said hogshead; said ram and reciprocating mechanism being based on the legs of the upper H member; said hogshead lift and support means being based on the cross beam of said upper H member; and a force transfer member joining said upper cross beam with the cross beam of said lower H member.

2. The support structure of claim 1 in which said reciprocating mechanism comprises a pair of vertically disposed cylinders, one on each leg of said upper H member adjacent an end of said cross beam; pistons in said cylinders; means to reciprocate said pistons; rods reciprocated by said pistons; and a cross member fixed to each of said rods; said ram being fixed to said cross member; and said cylinders being tied through said floor to said lower H member.

3. The support structure of claim 2 including lateral bracing means for said cylinders, said bracing means being based on said upper H member.

4. The support structure of claim 1 in which the hogshead lift and support means comprises a plate adapted to receive a dolly having a hogshead thereon; a pair of rotatable shafts based on said upper cross beam; cams on said shafts engaging said plate; and means to rotate said shafts whereby said plate may be moved from a low rest position to a high operating position; said plate in said high operating position being supported from said lower cross beam through said force transfer member, said upper cross beam and said cams and shafts.

5. The support structure of claim 4 in which the means for rotating said shafts comprises a cylinder and piston; a rod fixed to said piston; a lever fixed to said last mentioned rod, said lever being horizontally disposed; pins in the ends of said lever; links fixed to said shafts, said links having slots therein receiving said pins; and means to actuate said last mentioned piston.

6. The support structure of claim 5 in which said last mentioned cylinder and piston are located b6lOW S3id fl00f and based on the cross beam of the lower H member.

7. The support structure of claim 6 including brackets based on the cross beam of the upper H member, and sleeves fixed on said brackets, said shafts being supported in said sleeves.

8. The support structure of claim 7 including limit abutments provided adjacent said shafts, said shafts hav ing members which bear against said abutments in the high operating posit-ion of said plate.

9. The structure of claim 8 in which said cams have flats offset towards said shafts in the high operating position of said plate.

10. The structure of claim 9 including a ramp for said dolly to position same above said plate when in said low rest position.

11. In support structure of the type described, a base member, a plate adapted to receive a dolly having a hogshead thereon, a pair of rotatable shafts based on said base member, cams on said shafts engaging said plate, and means to rotate said shafts, whereby to rotate said cams and move said plate between a low, rest position and a high, operating position, said plate in said high, operating position being supported from said base through said cams and shafts.

12. The support structure of claim 11 in which the means for rotating said shafts comprises a cylinder and piston, a rod fixed to said piston, a lever fixed to said rod, said lever being horizontally disposed, pins in the ends of said lever, links fixed to said shafts, said links having slots therein receiving said pins, and means to actuate said piston.

13. The support structure of claim 12 in which said cylinder and piston are at least in part supported from said base member.

14. The structure of claim 13 including brackets based on said base member, and sleeves fixed to said brackets, said shafts being supported in said sleeves.

15. The support structure of claim 14 in which limit abutments are provided adjacent said shafts, said shafts having members which bear against said abutments in the high, operating position of said plate.

16. The structure of claim 15 in which said cams have flats offset towards said shafts in the high, operating position of said plate.

17. Support structure for work mechanism comprising an upper plate and a lower plate adapted to engage opposite sides of a building floor, means securing said plates to one another through said floor, said work mechanism being mounted on said upper plate, and a force transfer member joining said upper and lower plates.

18. The structure of claim 17 in which said work mechanism comprises a vertically reciprocable ram and a vertically reciprocable lift.

19. The structure of claim 18 in which said ram is mounted to said. upper plate adjacent the edges thereof and in which said lift is mounted to said upper plate adjacent the center thereof.

20. The structure of claim 19 in which said force transfer member is located substantially between the respective centers of said upper and lower plates.

21. A hogshead lift and compacting mechanism comprising a ram, a pair of vertically disposed cylinders each having a piston connected to said ram, fluid means to actuate said pistons whereby to reciprocate said rams vertically, a support positioned beneath said ram, cam means for raising and lowering said support, a third cylinder having a piston connected to said cam means, and fluid means to actuate said last-mentioned piston whereby to reciprocate said support vertically.

22. In combination, a hydraulically actuated compacting press and a hydraulic lift for the load being treated; said press including a pair of cylinders, pistons in said cylinders, and a ram fixed to said pistons; and said lift including at least one cylinder, another piston in said one cylinder, a support, and cam means for raising and lowbase whereupon saidcylinder and said cam means are adapted to be mounted.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Shirtliff Nov. 5, Lally Apr. 26, Bell et al. Aug. 5,

Slick Aug. 9,

v- Memo 

